Corrective time-controlled system



March 9, 1937. E. B. JACKSON 2,013,449

CORRECTIVE TIME CONTROLLED SYSTEM Filed Sept. 24, 1952 I v enfor Patented Mar. 9, 1937 CORRECTIVE TIME-CONTROLLED SYSTEM Edward B. Jackson, Downers Grove, 311., assignor to Stromberg Electric Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 24, 1932, Serial No. 634,683

13 illaims.

My invention relates to a corrective time-controlled system. More specifically, it relates to such a system in which master apparatus sends out normal impulses for advancing the secondary apparatus for its normal operation and periodically sends out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus and having provisions for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus to prevent any of the secondary apparatus from getting too fast.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved system in which use is made of a one-way electric valve in the secondary appara- 5 tus.

A further object is to provide such a system in which there are no electric contacts in the secondary apparatus.

Further objects will be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawing, in which my invention is illustrated,

The single figure of the drawing shows somewhat diagrammatically the master apparatus,

secondary apparatus and corrective apparatus in a corrective time-controlled system.

The secondary apparatus is of the type in which the apparatus is advanced step by step by impulses controlled by the master apparatus.

The secondary apparatus may be of many types,

such as secondary clocks, in-and-out time recorders, job time recorders, etc. Three sets of secondary apparatus are shown as indicated at A, B, and C. Each of these comprises an electro- 5 magnet I intermittently caused to be energized by the master apparatus, an armature lever 2 provided with an armature 3 for cooperation with the electromagnet I, a pawl 4 pivotally mounted at 5 on the armature lever 2, a ratchet 6 driven step by step by the pawl 4, and a spring I for effecting the power stroke of the armature lever.

The master apparatus shown comprises a pair of contacts 8 and 9 for sending out the normal impulses, a relay magnet Ill controlled by said contacts, and an armature contact H controlled by the relay magnet ID for cooperation with the contact I2 of the circuit 13 leading to the secondary apparatus.

The corrective apparatus comprises contacts I4 and it: for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, master-controlled contacts is and H for periodically cutting in and out the rapid impulse controller, pole changing apparatus It for reversing the power connections to the secondary apparatus, master-controlled cam means i9 for periodically acting on the polechanging apparatus for effecting the current reversal and corrective apparatus in each secondary for cooperation with the corrective system apparatus just described. The pole changing apparatus is of conventional type comprising an electromagnet 2i) controlled by the master-controlled contacts 2i and 22, and a pair of armatures 23 controlled by said electromagnet 28 and serving to reverse the connections of the lines l3 and 2 1- leading to the secondary circuit with the power lines 25 and 26 by cooperation with the four contacts 27, 28, 29, and 30.

The corrective apparatus in each secondary comprises an electromagnet 3! in parallel with the driving electromagnet l, a one-way electric valve 32 in this parallel circuit, a rock lever 33 pivotally mounted at 34 and carrying an armature 35 for cooperation with the corrective electromagnet 3i and a controller cam 36 for the rock lever 33 rotatable with the shaft 31 on which the ratchet 3 is mounted. The rock lever 33 is provided with a stop finger 33 which, under certain conditions, moves in between the lower end of the actuating rock lever 2 and the electromagnet l to prevent the lever 2 from being actuated by the electromagnet. A suitable spring 39 is provided tending to hold the armature 35 of the rock lever 33 away from the electromagnet 3|.

In order to clarify the operation, I will assume certain time relations. The master cam-controlled contacts !6 and ll may be so operated as to bring the rapid controller l4, l5 into play from 59 minutes and 15 seconds until 59 minutes and 45 seconds, during which time fifteen rapid impulses will be sent out to rapidly advance any slow secondary apparatus. The master cam-controlled contacts 2! and 22 may be so operated that the pole changing apparatus l8 will reverse power connections to the secondary apparatus from 55 minutes and 10 seconds until just after the rapid sending period has terminated, say 59 minutes and 50 seconds.

The one-way electric valve 32 in the secondary apparatus is so designed that during this short period of current reversal, the reversed current will be enabled to pass the one-way valve 32 to energize the electromagnetic device 3| but so that with the normal direction of current no current will be enabled to pass and hence the electromagnet 3! will exert no force on its armature 35 at any time except during the comparatively short current reversal period. The notch 43 on the cam disc 36 of the secondary apparatus is so located that when the secondary apparatus is in the position corresponding to the 59th minute, the notch wil be opposite the finger 4| on the rock lever 33 so that when the rock lever 33 is caused to oscillate, the finger M can drop into the notch 49 and the stop finger 38 can move in between the end of the armature 3 and the electromagnet l and prevent movement of the lever 2.

In assuming the time periods for the various operations, a period of current reversal was assumed which would hold back fast secondary apparatus only in the event that it was less than five minutes fast. It has been found that it is seldom that secondary apparatus gets more than five minutes fast during the course of an hour so that this five minute correction has been found to be sufiicient for practical purposes.

In describing the operation, in order to facilitate an understanding thereof, one set of secondary apparatus has been shown as fast compared with the master apparatus, one as just in time with the master apparatus, and one as slow compared with the master apparatus. Assuming that the fast secondary apparatus is not more than four minutes ahead of the master apparatus, the current reversal for the secondary apparatus will take place before the notch at] in the control disc 36 comes opposite the finger ll on the rock lever 33 so that impulses will be effective in the corrective electromagnet 3 Just after the fiftyninth actuation of the rock lever has taken effect, the notch 53 on the control disc 35 will be in position to receive the finger ll on the rock lever 33 so that any further impulses will be ineffective to advance the ratchet 6 because the stop finger 38 will be interposed between the armature 3 and the electromagnet I, and will prevent movement of the rock lever. In this connection, it is explained that the disabling magnet Si is much smaller than the actuating magnet i and has small relatively light moving parts and will therefore respond to an impulse much quicker than the heavy actuating magnet i and its associated parts. This fast secondary apparatus will therefore be held at the fifty-ninth minute position until the normal direction of current is resumed. This will prevent the rapid impulses as well as the normal frequency impulses from being efiective until normal direction of current is resumed.

The secondary apparatus which is on time with the master at the beginning of the corrective period will stay in time because the rapid impulses sent out will be inefiective for the same reasons pointed out in connection with the fast secondary apparatus. 7

The slow secondary apparatus will remain slow until the rapid impulses are sent out when it will be rapidly advanced up to a position corresponding to the fifty-ninth minute when it will cease to advance by reason of the fact that the notch at in the control disc 35 will then be opposite the finger 45 on the rock lever 33 and the actuating rock lever 2 will be'disabled until hormal direction of current is resumed. When normal direction of current is resumed at 59 minutes and 50 seconds by master clock time, the next impulse will cause all of the clocks which have been lined up at the fifty-ninth minute tostart off together for their next cycle.

The direction of normal impulses in the circuit l3 may be indicated by the arrow N and the direction of the reverse impulses by the arrow R.

The direction in which current will pass through the valves 32 is indicated by symbols.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art andit is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal impulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the master apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means depending on the current in the one-way valve circuit and on the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated member reaches a predetermined position comprising an electromagnetic actuator in said parallel circuit and disabling means controlled by said parallel circuit electromagnetic actuator and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said intermittently driven actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the latter reaches said predetermined position, said parallel circuit electromagnetic actuator comprising an armature normally held against movement but enabled to operate when the secondary apparatus reaches a predetermined stage of its cycle, said intermittently driven electromagnetic device comprising an armature and said disabling means comprising means for holding said armature against movement.

2. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal im pulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the master apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means depending on the current in the one-way valve circuit and on the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated member reaches a predetermined position comprising an electromagnetic actuator in said parallel circuit and disabling means controlled by said parallel circuit electromagnetic actuator and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said intermittently driven actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the latter reaches said predetermined position, said parallel circuit electromagnetic actuator comprising an armature normally held against movement but enabled to operate when the secondary apparatus reaches a predetermined stage of its cycle.

3. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal impulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the master apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means depending on the current in the one-way valve circuit and on the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated mem ber reaches a predetermined position, compris ing an electromagnetic actuator in said parallel circuit and disabling means controlled by said parallel circuit electromagnetic actuator and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said intermittently driven actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the latter reaches said predetermined position, said intermittently driven electromagnetic device comprising an armature and said disabling means comprising means for holding said armature against movement.

4. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal impulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the mas ter apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means depending on the current in the one-way valve circuit and on the po-- sition of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated member reaches a predetermined position comprising an electromagnetic actuator in said parallel circuit and disabling means controlled by said paral lel circuit electromagnetic actuator and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said intermittently driven actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the latter reaches said predetermined position.

5. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal imulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the master apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in 1:5 cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means controlled by the current in the one-way valve circuit and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated member reaches a predetermined position comprising an electromagnetic actuator in said parallel circuit.

6. A corrective time-controlled system comprising master, secondary and corrective apparatus, said secondary apparatus comprising an intermittently driven electromagnetic actuator (responsive to electrical impulses in either direction) and an intermittently operated member actuated by said actuator, said master apparatus comprising means for sending out normal impulses for said secondary electromagnetic actuator, and said corrective apparatus comprising means for periodically sending out a number of rapid impulses for rapidly advancing slow secondary apparatus, means controlled by the master apparatus for periodically reversing the current for the secondary apparatus, means associated with each secondary for stopping it when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle to keep it from getting too fast, comprising a circuit in parallel with the circuit of said electromagnetic actuator and a one-way electric valve in said circuit, and means controlled by the current in the one-way valve circuit and by the position of the intermittently operated member for preventing said secondary electromagnetic actuator from actuating said intermittently operated member when the intermittently operated member reaches a predetermined position.

7. In a secondary apparatus for use in a timecontrolled system, an impulse magnet, an armature for said magnet by which all advancing movements of said apparatus are effected under control of impulses received by said magnet, a quick acting magnet associated with said impulse magnet and concurrently energized therewith,

and means controlled by said quick-acting magnet and operative only when said apparatus is in a particular predetermined chronological position for preventing movement of said armature.

8. In a corrective time-controlled system, master apparatus and secondary apparatus connected by a control circuit, means in said master apparatus for transmitting current impulses over said circuit to said secondary apparatus and for periodically reversing the polarity of said impulses, an impulse magnet in said secondary apparatus included in said circuit and energized by all of said impulses, an armature for said magnet for efiecting the advance of said secondary apparatus, and discriminating means in said secondary apparatus associated with said control circuit and responsive to current impulses of one polarity for mechanically blocking said armature against movement when said apparatus is in a predetermined chronological position and unresponsive to current impulses of reverse polarity, thereb-y permitting said secondary apparatus to be advanced by said impulse magnet.

9. In a corrective time-controlled system wherein secondary apparatus is controlled by impulses transmitted over a control circuit from a master apparatus an impulse magnet in said circuit and an armature therefor for effecting all advancing movements of said secondary apparatus, said magnet being energized by each of said impulses, discriminating means in said secondary apparatus associated with said control circuit for blocking said armature against movement to prevent advance of said apparatus, said means .being responsive to current impulses of one polarity only, and means controlled by the chronological condition of said secondary apparatus for preventing the effective operation of said discriminating means.

10. In an impulse operated device, an impulse magnet responsive to impulses to effect advancing movement of said device, an armature for said impulse magnet, a second magnet associated with said impulse magnet, means for rendering said second magnet responsive only to an impulse of special character, and means controlled by said second magnet when energized with said device inv a particular predetermined position for blocking said armature against movement, thereby preventing movement of said device by the energization ofsaid impulse magnet.

11. In an impulse operated device, an impulse magnet responsive to impulses of either polarity, an armature controlled by said magnet for effecting all movements of said device, a second magnet associated with said impulse magnet, means for rendering said second magnet responsive only to an impulse of a particular polarity, and means dependent upon the position of said device and controlled by said second magnet for blocking said armature against movement, thereby rendering ineffective the energization of said impulse magnet by said impulse of said particular polarity.

12. In a secondary apparatus for use in a timecontrolled system, an impulse magnet, an armature and an operating pawl for said magnet for effecting advancing movement of said apparatus responsive to impulses received by said magnet, and means operative by a received impulse and dependent upon the chronological condition of said apparatus for positively limiting the movement of said armature resulting from the energization of said magnet by said impulse to render said pawl ineffective to advance said apparatus,

13. In a secondary apparatus for use in a timecontrolled system, an impulse magnet energized by each impulse received by said apparatus, an actuating member having a back and forth movement controlled by said magnet, a ratchet and pawl operated by said member to advance said apparatus, and means operative by a received impulse only when said apparatus is in a particular predetermined chronological position for mechanically blocking said actuating member so that its movemen is restricted to a fraction of its normal operating movement to render the cnergization of said magnet by said impulse ineffective to cause advance of said apparatus.

EDWARD B. JACKSON. 

